听
1
An old man bending I come among new faces,
Years looking backward resuming in answer to children,
Come tell us, old man, as from young men and maidens that love me,
(Arous鈥檇 and angry, I鈥檇 thought to beat the alarum, and urge relentless war,
But soon my fingers fail鈥檇 me, my face droop鈥檇 and I resign鈥檇 myself,
To sit by the wounded and soothe them, or silently watch the dead;)
Years hence of these scenes, of these furious passions, these chances,
Of unsurpass鈥檇 heroes, (was one side so brave? The other was equally brave;)
Now be witness again, paint the mightiest armies of earth,
Of those armies so rapid so wondrous what saw you to tell us?
What stays with you latest and deepest? Of curious panics,
Of hard-fought engagements or sieges tremendous what deepest remains?
听
2
O maidens and young men I love and that love me,
What you ask of my days those the strangest and sudden your talking recalls,
Soldier alert I arrive after a long march cover鈥檇 with sweat and dust,
In the nick of time I come, plunge in the fight, loudly shout in the rush of successful charge,
Enter the captur鈥檇 works鈥攜et lo, like a swift-running river they fade,
Pass and are gone they fade鈥擨 dwell not on soldiers鈥� perils or soldiers鈥� joys,
(Both I remember well鈥攎any the hardships, few the joys, yet I was content.)
But in silence, in dreams鈥� projections,
While the world of gain and appearance and mirth goes on,
So soon what is over forgotten, and waves wash the imprints off the sand,
With hinged knees returning I enter the doors, (while for you up there,
Whoever you are, follow without noise and be of strong heart.)
Bearing the bandages, water and sponge,
Straight and swift to my wounded I go,
Where they lie on the ground after the battle brought in,
Where their priceless blood reddens the grass the ground,
Or to the rows of the hospital tent, or under the roof鈥檇 hospital,
To the long rows of cots up and down each side I return,
To each and all one after another I draw near, not one do I miss,
An attendant follows holding a tray, he carries a refuse pail,
Soon to be fill鈥檇 with clotted rags and blood, emptied, and fill鈥檇 again.
I onward go, I stop,
With hinged knees and steady hand to dress wounds,
I am firm with each, the pangs are sharp yet unavoidable,
One turns to me his appealing eyes鈥攑oor boy! I never knew you,
Yet I think I could not refuse this moment to die for you, if that would save you.
听
3
On, on I go, (open doors of time! open hospital doors!)
The crush鈥檇 head I dress, (poor crazed hand tear not the bandage away,)
The neck of the cavalry-man with the bullet through and through I examine,
Hard the breathing rattles, quite glazed already the eye, yet life struggles hard,
(Come sweet death! be persuaded O beautiful death!
In mercy come quickly.)
From the stump of the arm, the amputated hand,
I undo the clotted lint, remove the slough, wash off the matter and blood,
Back on his pillow the soldier bends with curv鈥檇 neck and side-falling head,
His eyes are closed, his face is pale, he dares not look on the bloody stump,
And has not yet look鈥檇 on it.
I dress a wound in the side, deep, deep,
But a day or two more, for see the frame all wasted and sinking,
And the yellow-blue countenance see.
I dress the perforated shoulder, the foot with the bullet-wound,
Cleanse the one with gnawing and putrid gangrene, so sickening, so offensive,
While the attendant stands behind aside me holding the tray and pail.
I am faithful, I do not give out.
The fractur鈥檇 thigh, the knee, the wound in the abdomen,
These and more I dress with impassive hand, (yet deep in my breast a fire, a burning flame.)
听
4
Thus in silence in dreams鈥� projections,
Returning, resuming, I thread my way through the hospitals,
The hurt and wounded I pacify with soothing hand,
I sit by the restless all the dark night, some are so young,
Some suffer so much, I recall the experience sweet and sad,
(Many a soldier鈥檚 loving arms about his neck have cross鈥檇 and rested,
Many a soldier鈥檚 kiss dwells on those bearded lips.)
听
- Whitman, Walt. "The Wound-Dresser." In Leaves of Grass, 248-251. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1983. Bantam Classic Edition.
- Photos from the Library of Congress: , , , ,
